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Functional explorations

Our main mission is to perform functional explorations of the cardiorespiratory, vascular, digestive and central or peripheral nervous systems in infants, children and adults.

Team

Functional explorations comprise five areas of activity

Respiratory and metabolic function tests

The Respiratory and Metabolic Functional Explorations department performs the corresponding functional tests in adults and children. These tests include:

In the field of Respiratory Exploration:
  • simple spirometry,
  • body plethysmography,
  • reversibility and bronchoprovocation tests,
  • gas transfer, measurement of pulmonary capillary volume,
  • blood gas sampling and measurement
  • pulmonary compliances,
  • evaluation of respiratory muscles,
  • NO exhaled, NO nasal
  • hyperoxia test,
  • ventilatory response to CO2.
In the field of Metabolic Exploration:
  • Exercise stress tests with measurement of oxygen consumption and arterial blood gas analysis during exercise,
  • specialized stress tests for metabolic muscle pathologies,
  • Stress echocardiography.
The service's equipment
  • A body plethysmograph,
  • a system for measuring alveolar-capillary diffusion,
  • a broncho-provocation measurement system,
  • a combined system (body plethysmograph/diffusion/broncho-provocation),
  • a combined measurement system for hair diffusion/volume,
  • a system for measuring VO2 during exercise,
  • a blood gas analyzer
  • a NO analyzer.
Venous explorations
Consulting activity

Venous Doppler ultrasound allows exploration of both superficial and deep veins.

The service's equipment
  • an Aloka alpha 10 echo-Doppler device (2006)
  • a continuous Doppler Stereodop 448.S Echomed (1975)
Digestive function tests
The exams

The Digestive Functional Explorations department performs the corresponding functional explorations in adults and children:

  • Esophageal manometry,
  • anorectal manometry,
  • 24-hour pH monitoring
  • Anorectal rehabilitation using biofeedback
  • measurement of respiratory hydrogen production (breath test),
  • transit time to radio-opaque markers.
The service's equipment
  • an analog digestive exploration system
  • a digital digestive exploration system
  • an H2/CO2 analyzer
  • 3 portable pH meters
Sports medicine

The Sports Medicine department is located at the Côte de Nacre Hospital. Its activity is twofold:

Functional explorations :
Exercise tests with VO2 measurement, determination of lactate and ventilatory thresholds, force-velocity tests, Wingate test, assessment of no contraindications for all sports disciplines, measurement of respiratory capacity, measurement of pressure in the compartments, altitude adaptation tests…

Sports medicine : specialized consultations in general medicine, cardiology, functional rehabilitation, traumatology, rheumatology, pediatrics, nutrition…

The department's equipment : The sports medicine department has suitable equipment including:

  • treadmill
  • cycle ergometer,
  • rowing ergometer,
  • ergometer for disabled people
  • measurement of oxygen consumption (VO2),
  • lactate analyzer,
  • pressure measurement in the boxes,
  • late potentials,
  • screening echocardiography,
  • cardiac holter.

The service also houses theMedical Unit for Prevention and the Fight against Doping : anyone facing the problem of doping can be received there anonymously and free of charge.

Specialized vestibular functional testing
Sleep Disorders Investigation and Treatment Unit

Its main mission is the management of sleep disorders: consultations, investigations and treatments.

For sleep disorders of respiratory origin, she works in consultation with the pulmonology department. The unit is a center accredited by the French Society for Sleep Research and Medicine.

The exams

The unit's main activity is the assessment and treatment of sleep disorders. To this end, it uses various examinations:

  • Consultations,
  • Respiratory polygraphy
  • Polysomnographies,
  • Sleep latency tests,
  • Wakefulness maintenance tests,
  • Napping EEG
  • Video-electroencephalography,
  • Implementation of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy.
The service's equipment
  • 3 fixed polysomnographs,
  • 1 ambulatory polysomnograph,
  • 2 ambulatory polygraphs.

Contact :
02 31 27 23 27

Pathologies

Functional explorations

The Service performs functional explorations in the context of most pathologies, particularly respiratory, neurological, cardiovascular, digestive… in conjunction with the clinical services and the referring practitioners concerned.

A complete care (diagnostic and therapeutic) is only provided in the department for certain identified pathologies or disciplines (sleep disorders, epilepsy, sports medicine).

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a group of pathologies expressed by the repetition of phenomena called epileptic seizures. These are episodes of very varied types (loss of consciousness, abnormal movements, psychic phenomena, etc., more or less associated) corresponding to an abnormal electrical discharge of the neurons of the brain.

It can be linked to a brain injury, but not always. It affects all ages of life, from newborns to the elderly.

Diagnosis is based on the patient's description of symptoms by those close to them, and on recordings of brain activity: the electroencephalogram (EEG). Treatment relies on anti-epileptic drugs and sometimes surgery.

Deep or superficial venous thrombosis, phlebitis

Venous thrombosis, also called phlebitis, refers to the formation of a blood clot in a vein. It is called "superficial" when it affects the small veins located between the skin and muscles, and "deep" when it affects a larger vein.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) most commonly occurs in the lower limbs (legs, thighs, groin). Because the clot can break off and cause a pulmonary embolism (obstruction of the pulmonary artery), DVT requires emergency medical attention.

Sports medicine pathologies

The sports medicine department provides care for:

  • the athlete's explorations,
  • any pathology related to the practice of sport,
  • the resumption of physical activity
  • patients with chronic illnesses wishing to engage in physical activity.

Pathologies of the sleep disorders investigation and treatment unit

  • Insomnia
  • Narcolepsy and other hypersomnias
  • Breathing problems during sleep
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • Sleepwalking and other parasomnias
  • Investigations of epilepsy